‘Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen’

Listening Guide

The Work

Dates of composition: 1884-1885; orchestrated 1893-6; published 1897 in versions for piano and orchestra by Josef Weinberger, Leipzig Place of composition: Kassel Premiere: March 16, 1896, BerlinPerformers: Thomas Hampson, baritone; London Philharmonic; Klaus Tennstedt, conductorBuy this MP3 album on Amazon.com

Listening Guide

The Work

Key: D minor with a middle section in E-flat major (E minor and F major in the piano version for high voice) and ends in G minor. Tempo: Schneller; Langsamer (Faster; Slower) (Allegro; Langsam in the piano version) Time Signature: 2/4 (middle section in 6/8 with a single measure of 3/8) (4/8 with 2/4 in parenthesis in the piano version) Form: ABA (with two themes in A section, a new theme with free modulations in the middle section, closing with a da capo return of the A)

When my sweetheart gets married,
Her joyful wedding day
It is a sad day for me!
I go into my little chamber,
My dark little chamber,
I weep, weep for my sweetheart,
For my dear sweetheart!
Little blue flower! Little blue flower!
Do not fade! Do not fade!
Sweet little bird! Sweet little bird!
You sing on the green heath.
Oh! how beautiful is the world!
Zikee! Zikee! Zikee!
Do not sing! Do not bloom!
Spring, you know, has gone!
All the singing is now over!
In the evening, when I go to sleep,
I think of my sorrow!
Of my sorrow!

Listening Guide

The Work

Key: D major in the orchestral version (E-flat major in the piano version for high voice) ending in F-sharp major (G major in the piano version for high voice) Tempo: In gemächlicher Bewegung (with easy motion); Gemächlich (nicht eilen) (with ease–without hurrying) in the piano version Time Signature: alla breve Form: free strophic form

I went out this morning over the field,
When the dew still clung to the grasses;
the merry finch spoke to me:
“Hey, you there! Good morning!
Is it not a lovely world?
Chirp! Chirp! Pretty and lively!
How the world delights me!”

The bluebells in the meadow also
rang merrily and cheerfully for me
with their little bells, ring-a-ring,
rang their morning greeting:
“Is it not a lovely world!?
Ring, ring, Pretty thing!
How the world delights me! Hi-ho!”

And then in the sunshine
the world at once began to sparkle,
everything, everything took on
sound and color in the sunshine!
Flower and bird, the large and the small!
“Good day! Lovely world!”
Now surely will my happiness also begin?!
No! No! What is mine,
Can nevermore bloom for me!

I have a glowing knife,
a knife in my breast,
alas! alas!
It cuts so deep
into every joy and every delight,
so deep! so deep!
Ah, what an evil guest it is!
It never keeps still, it never rests,
neither by day nor by night
when I sleep!
Alas! Alas! Alas!
When I look up to heaven,
I see two blue eyes there!
Alas! Alas!
When I walk in the yellow field,
I see from afar the blond hair
blowing in the wind! Alas! Alas!
When I awake from the dream
and hear her silver laughter ringing,
Alas! Alas!
I wish that I were lying on the black bier,
and could never, never
open my eyes!